Most every media report you read right now will tell you using statistics how the real estate market Canada-wide has begun leaning towards one that favours buyers and not sellers.

The Calgary Herald this past week (on Feb. 19) came out with a report using RBC Economics that among other things let us know that “Calgary saw its sales fall year over year in January almost 15 per cent.” The monthly Calgary Real Estate Board for January said the same thing and the one that comes out in a couple of weeks for February will as well.
For realtors there’s another indicator that shows up in our emails every morning that lets you know things have changed – invitations from the Calgary area home builders to come out to see their new product and bring your clients with you. The emails often contain incentives from builders such as free basement developments and upgrades. A good reason to take a realtor with you when you first approach a builder is that they will know of those incentives and can push for them.
When the going is good Calgary’s home builders naturally don’t need to court the city’s realtors, as they get a steady stream of visitors to their showhomes naturally. I recall a couple years I ventured into a showhome in Mahogany on a scouting mission for some clients only to be told the builder had no available lots. It could have been the truth, but it’s likely they were holding their available inventory for buyers with no representation.
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